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California Studies in Food and Culture #15
The Queen of Fats: Why Omega-3s Were Removed from the Western Diet and What We Can Do to Replace Them
A nutritional whodunit that takes readers from Greenland to Africa to Israel, The Queen of Fats gives a fascinating account of how we have become deficient in a nutrient that is essential for good the fatty acids known as omega-3s. Writing with intelligence and passion, Susan Allport tells the story of these vital fats, which are abundant in greens and fish, among other foods. She describes how scientists came to understand the role of omega-3s in our diet, why commercial processing has removed them from the food we eat, and what the tremendous consequences have been for our health. In many Western countries, epidemics of inflammatory diseases and metabolic disorders have been traced to omega-3 deficiencies. The Queen of Fats provides information for every consumer who wants to reduce the risk of heart disease, cancer, arthritis, and obesity and to improve brain function and overall health. This important and compelling investigation into the discovery, science, and politics of omega-3s will transform our thinking about what we should be eating.* Includes steps you can take to add omega-3s to your diet* Shows why eating fish is not the only way, or even the best way, to increase omega-3s.* Provides a new way to understand the complex advice about the role and importance of fats in the body* Explains how and why the food industry has created a deadly imbalance of fats in our foods* Shows how omega-3s can be reintroduced to our diet through food enrichment and changes in the feeding of livestock
236 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2006
17 people are currently reading
793 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 54 reviews
April 9, 2008
Although this is heavily scientific and can be difficult to read at times, I have to give it 5 stars for the quality of information I gained from it. I've been adding omega-3's to my diet for several years now, and I thought I knew a fair bit about them. I learned so much from this book about how these fatty acids work inside the body and how to get the most benefit from them.
Lots of chemistry, yes, but worth reading. Just read it slowly if you don't have a lot of science background. The actual text is only 150 pages, and the rest is notes and bibliography, so it's not really as daunting as it looks. The second half of the book seemed to be a little easier to read. In the first half there's a lot of history of how omega-3's were discovered and studied, which can get a little dry.
It's not enough to just add more omega-3's to our diets. We also need to reduce the amount of omega-6's, which compete for space in our membranes.
Funny how everything always comes back to eating more (and more) fruits and green vegetables.
Thank you, Kristine, for bringing this book to my attention!
Lots of chemistry, yes, but worth reading. Just read it slowly if you don't have a lot of science background. The actual text is only 150 pages, and the rest is notes and bibliography, so it's not really as daunting as it looks. The second half of the book seemed to be a little easier to read. In the first half there's a lot of history of how omega-3's were discovered and studied, which can get a little dry.
It's not enough to just add more omega-3's to our diets. We also need to reduce the amount of omega-6's, which compete for space in our membranes.
Funny how everything always comes back to eating more (and more) fruits and green vegetables.
Thank you, Kristine, for bringing this book to my attention!
March 14, 2010
An absolutely crucial book everyone who eats needs to read! Once again, the food mfgrs. have stripped an essential ingredient necessary for human health from our food in order to prolong the shelf life of processed foods.
Omega 3s are fatty acids -- "good fats". Omega 3's are found in green plants, including fruits & veggies and in fish. Flax seed and flax seed oil contain the highest amounts of Omega 3's. Many oils have much healthier levels of Omega 3's than others - a chart is included. Actually there is a HUGE difference in these levels among a large group of seed oils. This would be a very easy change for people to make in their kitchens to help balance out the types of EFAs and improve their health.
The Western diet is awash in Omega 6 fatty acids. Omega 6's are not BAD, it's just that fast food, cheap oils and overprocessed foods have tons of Omega 6's and are stripped of Omega 3's. The proper balance of these oils is what's important.
Evidently the heavy overload of Omega 6's "turns on" a bodily signalling mechanism that results in all kinds of diseases resulting in our need for lots of prescription drugs to "turn off" this signalling. One consultant to the pharmaceutical companies (Dr. Lands) "told the companies that nutrition would regulate the the availability of prostaglandins too. Their answer was always the same: There's no way to make money from nutrition. Lands said the same thing about nutrition to John Vane when he met this famous pharmacologist on a trip to Vienna. "Yes," he remembers Vane saying, "but you can't patent that." (pg. 101)
This book covers some scientific aspects of EFA's (essential fatty acids) that the non-scientific person can easily skim through if necessary. There's a bit of historical info, too.
I was impressed with the factual information on exactly HOW to get Omega 3's into your diet, the discussion of sources of Omega 3's. There's so much excellent info in this book, there is no way I can do justice to the topic without quoting a large part of the book.
Omega 3s are fatty acids -- "good fats". Omega 3's are found in green plants, including fruits & veggies and in fish. Flax seed and flax seed oil contain the highest amounts of Omega 3's. Many oils have much healthier levels of Omega 3's than others - a chart is included. Actually there is a HUGE difference in these levels among a large group of seed oils. This would be a very easy change for people to make in their kitchens to help balance out the types of EFAs and improve their health.
The Western diet is awash in Omega 6 fatty acids. Omega 6's are not BAD, it's just that fast food, cheap oils and overprocessed foods have tons of Omega 6's and are stripped of Omega 3's. The proper balance of these oils is what's important.
Evidently the heavy overload of Omega 6's "turns on" a bodily signalling mechanism that results in all kinds of diseases resulting in our need for lots of prescription drugs to "turn off" this signalling. One consultant to the pharmaceutical companies (Dr. Lands) "told the companies that nutrition would regulate the the availability of prostaglandins too. Their answer was always the same: There's no way to make money from nutrition. Lands said the same thing about nutrition to John Vane when he met this famous pharmacologist on a trip to Vienna. "Yes," he remembers Vane saying, "but you can't patent that." (pg. 101)
This book covers some scientific aspects of EFA's (essential fatty acids) that the non-scientific person can easily skim through if necessary. There's a bit of historical info, too.
I was impressed with the factual information on exactly HOW to get Omega 3's into your diet, the discussion of sources of Omega 3's. There's so much excellent info in this book, there is no way I can do justice to the topic without quoting a large part of the book.
October 26, 2017
Didn't quite fit the subtitle -- the topic of "Why Omega-3s Were Removed from the Western Diet" was a very small part of the whole. In a nutshell, here's why: they oxidize faster (aka go rancid), which makes them more expensive to preserve in processed food--it's cheaper to remove them. The experts in the early days didn't know they were important--fat is fat, right? And it took a long time before they realized the importance. And as we well know, our food industry is a business, not a non-profit. If people aren't demanding it and willing to pay for it, we don't get it.
A better subtitle would have been something like "the slow but exciting discovery of the essential need for Omega-3s in the diet--and why nobody cares." Because that's what the story was all about--by the time researchers actually had some evidence about the subject, western consumers had seen so many fat fads come and go, that finally, when there is some actual evidence, they're too tired to care.
can you blame 'em? My parent's generation (in the 1950's) were told to quit eating butter, lard, and egg yolks because of the bad animal fats and cholesterol. They were to substitute the 'good fats' from plant oils. My generation (the 1980's) were told to avoid all fats and switch to high-carb. My kid's generation (2000's) were told to restrict the carbs but load up on saturated vegetable fats and lean animal fats, with an occasional side of bacon. It's clearly a game of good fat/bad fat, right?
It shouldn't have been, because it should have been obvious to anyone who took a minute to look at the numbers--American's fat consumption has been steadily decreasing but our rate of heart disease has not--and we're fatter than ever. There never was and never will be a causal relationship between the quantity of fat consumption and bad health. Just as there never was a causal relationship between dietary cholesterol and blood cholesterol. (To make matters worse, blood cholesterol levels have never been demonstrated to be linked to heart disease.) As usual, it's like this: people make up shit and other people believe it.
But not this book. It's about people who were determined to get to the truth, wherever it led. And it's about where the truth did lead them.
And one more thing, in case you read this blurb but never read the book: Omega-6 and Omega-3 fatty acids are both essential to human health. This is not a speculation--there is real, evidence, of many kinds. It is also known that adding omega-3 fatty acids to the diet can improve babies' vision and brain development, and can slow down or reverse adult heart disease.
Is the "cause" of heart disease a deficiency of omega-3s? Probably not. But is the cause of conflicting nutrition advice our human tendency to over-simplify the complex? Most likely.
A better subtitle would have been something like "the slow but exciting discovery of the essential need for Omega-3s in the diet--and why nobody cares." Because that's what the story was all about--by the time researchers actually had some evidence about the subject, western consumers had seen so many fat fads come and go, that finally, when there is some actual evidence, they're too tired to care.
can you blame 'em? My parent's generation (in the 1950's) were told to quit eating butter, lard, and egg yolks because of the bad animal fats and cholesterol. They were to substitute the 'good fats' from plant oils. My generation (the 1980's) were told to avoid all fats and switch to high-carb. My kid's generation (2000's) were told to restrict the carbs but load up on saturated vegetable fats and lean animal fats, with an occasional side of bacon. It's clearly a game of good fat/bad fat, right?
It shouldn't have been, because it should have been obvious to anyone who took a minute to look at the numbers--American's fat consumption has been steadily decreasing but our rate of heart disease has not--and we're fatter than ever. There never was and never will be a causal relationship between the quantity of fat consumption and bad health. Just as there never was a causal relationship between dietary cholesterol and blood cholesterol. (To make matters worse, blood cholesterol levels have never been demonstrated to be linked to heart disease.) As usual, it's like this: people make up shit and other people believe it.
But not this book. It's about people who were determined to get to the truth, wherever it led. And it's about where the truth did lead them.
And one more thing, in case you read this blurb but never read the book: Omega-6 and Omega-3 fatty acids are both essential to human health. This is not a speculation--there is real, evidence, of many kinds. It is also known that adding omega-3 fatty acids to the diet can improve babies' vision and brain development, and can slow down or reverse adult heart disease.
Is the "cause" of heart disease a deficiency of omega-3s? Probably not. But is the cause of conflicting nutrition advice our human tendency to over-simplify the complex? Most likely.
July 28, 2008
I added this one to my "food writing" shelf, but I'm not sure it belongs there. The author definitely would say it doesn't, but they're my damned shelves, and I'll classify things any way I please.
Ahem.
While the names of the acids and fats got me totally confused (I'm not even sure how to pronounce 'eicosapentaenoic'), I did really enjoy this book and feel like I learned a great deal. On the way home from Buzz tonight (after indulging in plenty of linoleic acids, no doubt), I rattled off many of the exciting things that I learned from reading this book:
1. As recently as the beginning of the 20th century, scientists were still learning that humans require fat in their diets.
2. Once we figured that out, it still took a long time to figure out that we needed multiple kinds of fats, and that not all fats were bad (or any fats, for that matter, in moderation).
3. One of the predominate researchers in the area of fats worked for the Hormel Institute, which I find amusing as I always associate Hormel with that water tower by the factory in Janesville, WI.
4. Lots of research has been done comparing diets and fats for many parts of the world, and what they point to is that people with diets that are higher in omega 3s, whether that comes from fish or veggies, are healthier, have a faster metabolism, and have a dramatically lower incidence of heart disease.
One of the strengths of this book is that its author is a science writer rather than a physician or a nutritionist or one of those food zealots who argue for/against a particular dilemma. Allport presents a lot of research, a few personalities, and a handful of hypothesis - but wraps up with solid recommendations and a useful glossary. On the whole a good read, if overly science-y for the poolside. Yes, I read a book about fat by the pool. I'm cool like that.
Ahem.
While the names of the acids and fats got me totally confused (I'm not even sure how to pronounce 'eicosapentaenoic'), I did really enjoy this book and feel like I learned a great deal. On the way home from Buzz tonight (after indulging in plenty of linoleic acids, no doubt), I rattled off many of the exciting things that I learned from reading this book:
1. As recently as the beginning of the 20th century, scientists were still learning that humans require fat in their diets.
2. Once we figured that out, it still took a long time to figure out that we needed multiple kinds of fats, and that not all fats were bad (or any fats, for that matter, in moderation).
3. One of the predominate researchers in the area of fats worked for the Hormel Institute, which I find amusing as I always associate Hormel with that water tower by the factory in Janesville, WI.
4. Lots of research has been done comparing diets and fats for many parts of the world, and what they point to is that people with diets that are higher in omega 3s, whether that comes from fish or veggies, are healthier, have a faster metabolism, and have a dramatically lower incidence of heart disease.
One of the strengths of this book is that its author is a science writer rather than a physician or a nutritionist or one of those food zealots who argue for/against a particular dilemma. Allport presents a lot of research, a few personalities, and a handful of hypothesis - but wraps up with solid recommendations and a useful glossary. On the whole a good read, if overly science-y for the poolside. Yes, I read a book about fat by the pool. I'm cool like that.
October 23, 2012
I hope this book makes the talk circuit so that more people will hear its message and take action in their lives. I have been confused about omega 3 vs omega 6, but this cleared it all up with a scientific presentation that leaves no doubt that you can change your diet and likely improve your health. Bottom line, we need to eat as much omega 3 as possible. Omega 6s are good too, but its very easy to get them in our regular diets and they compete with omega 3s in the body, so the ratio of 3:6 is crucial. Bottom line...take your fish oil, eat a variety of fish and all green leafy vegetables as well as walnuts and you will do well for omega 3s. Canola oil should be the cooking oil of choice. Flaxseed is about the only seed that has a lot of omega 3. And yes, there is a reason to eat free-range eggs, and meats. Grass-fed animals have much more omega 3 in their tissues than corn fed. Also disturbing is the fact that the food industry has a stake in removing omega 3s from foods and even are breeding plants (soybeans, etc.) with less omega 3 because these fatty acids have a lower shelf life than omega 6s. Studies cited have convinced me of the relationship of omega 3 to heart, diabetes, cancer, arthritis, obesity. The book is heavy on the documented research and most easily read if you have a little biochemistry background, but the message is clear and I'm going to make some changes in my diet.
September 19, 2023
My main takeaways from this very interesting book (published in 2006) on the importance of omega 3 fatty acids in our diets:
-all kinds of fats (saturated fats/monounsaturated fats, polyunsaturated fats such as omega 6 and omega 3) are important and perform essential functions in our body. Key is the ratios and balance between them.
- Until not so long ago (beginning of 20th century), humans used to cook with either tallow, lard and butter (mostly saturated fats) or olive oil (mostly monounsaturated fat).
- At the beginning of the 20th century the chemical processing and refining methods of vegetable oils were invented. People in the West started cooking with the cheaper sunflower, corn, soybean or cottonseed oils.
These vegetable oils consisted mostly of polyunsaturated fats, also known as omega 6 and omega 3 fatty acids.
Omega 3 fats have a very short shelf life and so they were removed from those vegetable oils during processing, leaving only omega 6 fatty acids.
- Around the middle of the twentieth century, processed foods started to get manufactured with those cheap processed oils high in omega 6.
- As the twentieth century progressed, diseases such as heart disease, cancer, arthritis, diabetes etc.. started to increase in industrialized countries.
- Studies showed a connection between the consumption of saturated fats, cholesterol and heart disease.
- The medical field recommended cooking with vegetable oils instead of saturated fats.
They also recommended cutting down on eggs, because, although they are not high in saturated fats, they are high in cholesterol. The correlation between cholesterol in food and heart disease has meanwhile been debunked.
The egg yolk (at least the one from free roaming chickens feeding on grasses, green leaves and insects), besides being rich in many nutrients, is very high in omega 3 fatty acids.
I suppose the eggs on the cover of the book represent the omega 3 fatty acids which have been suppressed from the mainstream Western diet.
One study compared the nutritional value of eggs from chickens in Greece who were free roaming and ate a lot of purslane, high in omega 3, with eggs from American factory farm raised chickens fed with corn. The American eggs had only 1/10th of the omega 3 fatty acids compared to the Greek eggs (besides having lower amounts of many other nutrients).
- As a consequence of the increased use of highly processed vegetable oils as cooking oils and the increased consumption of processed foods drenched with those vegetable oils, the amount of omega 6 fatty acids has increased dramatically in populations who eat Western diets while the amount of omega 3 fatty acids has decreased.
- Studies have shown that the increase in consumption of omega 6 fatty acids and the decrease in availability of omega 3 fatty acids is connected to the increase in many chronic diseases.
- Studies have also shown that a decrease in consumption of saturated fats coupled with an increase in omega 6, does not lead to a decrease in heart disease.
On the other hand, studies have shown that a decrease in consumption of saturated fats coupled with an increase of omega 3 reduces the incidence of heart disease.
- So the solution would logically be to just add omega 3 to one's diet, in the form of more omega 3 rich fish, fish oils, and/or omega 3 rich plant foods such as flax seeds and chia seeds?
- No, says the author. Besides eating more omega 3 rich foods, we need to drastically reduce the consumption of omega 6 rich foods such as vegetable oils and processed foods and this is (one of the many) reason(s) why:
A preponderance of omega 6 fatty acids in the body inhibits the absorption of omega 3 fatty acids!
This metabolic fact was only discovered around the 1980s.
The consumption of saturated fats, on the other hand, does not compete for absorption with omega 3s.
- So here is the bottom line:
Avoid consumption of omega 6 rich vegetable oils.
Cooking with olive oil is to be preferred. Even a bit of butter seems healthier than vegetable oils.
Avoid consumption of processed foods.
Eat omega 3 rich fish ( salmon, tuna, sardines, herring) a couple of times a week. Be careful however with fish oil supplements that could have dangerous concentrations of mercury, PCBs and other toxins.
Cut down on saturated fats but do eat organic eggs from free roaming chickens.
Eat omega 3 rich seeds, nuts and vegetables. ( flax seeds, chia seeds, walnuts, soy beans, seaweed.) Note however that the body needs to convert the ALA in those foods into DHA and EPA, which it does not do as efficiently as when it absorbs omega 3 from fish sources.
Do not pay attention to pronouncements sponsored by the meat, dairy, vegetable oil and processed foods industries.
-all kinds of fats (saturated fats/monounsaturated fats, polyunsaturated fats such as omega 6 and omega 3) are important and perform essential functions in our body. Key is the ratios and balance between them.
- Until not so long ago (beginning of 20th century), humans used to cook with either tallow, lard and butter (mostly saturated fats) or olive oil (mostly monounsaturated fat).
- At the beginning of the 20th century the chemical processing and refining methods of vegetable oils were invented. People in the West started cooking with the cheaper sunflower, corn, soybean or cottonseed oils.
These vegetable oils consisted mostly of polyunsaturated fats, also known as omega 6 and omega 3 fatty acids.
Omega 3 fats have a very short shelf life and so they were removed from those vegetable oils during processing, leaving only omega 6 fatty acids.
- Around the middle of the twentieth century, processed foods started to get manufactured with those cheap processed oils high in omega 6.
- As the twentieth century progressed, diseases such as heart disease, cancer, arthritis, diabetes etc.. started to increase in industrialized countries.
- Studies showed a connection between the consumption of saturated fats, cholesterol and heart disease.
- The medical field recommended cooking with vegetable oils instead of saturated fats.
They also recommended cutting down on eggs, because, although they are not high in saturated fats, they are high in cholesterol. The correlation between cholesterol in food and heart disease has meanwhile been debunked.
The egg yolk (at least the one from free roaming chickens feeding on grasses, green leaves and insects), besides being rich in many nutrients, is very high in omega 3 fatty acids.
I suppose the eggs on the cover of the book represent the omega 3 fatty acids which have been suppressed from the mainstream Western diet.
One study compared the nutritional value of eggs from chickens in Greece who were free roaming and ate a lot of purslane, high in omega 3, with eggs from American factory farm raised chickens fed with corn. The American eggs had only 1/10th of the omega 3 fatty acids compared to the Greek eggs (besides having lower amounts of many other nutrients).
- As a consequence of the increased use of highly processed vegetable oils as cooking oils and the increased consumption of processed foods drenched with those vegetable oils, the amount of omega 6 fatty acids has increased dramatically in populations who eat Western diets while the amount of omega 3 fatty acids has decreased.
- Studies have shown that the increase in consumption of omega 6 fatty acids and the decrease in availability of omega 3 fatty acids is connected to the increase in many chronic diseases.
- Studies have also shown that a decrease in consumption of saturated fats coupled with an increase in omega 6, does not lead to a decrease in heart disease.
On the other hand, studies have shown that a decrease in consumption of saturated fats coupled with an increase of omega 3 reduces the incidence of heart disease.
- So the solution would logically be to just add omega 3 to one's diet, in the form of more omega 3 rich fish, fish oils, and/or omega 3 rich plant foods such as flax seeds and chia seeds?
- No, says the author. Besides eating more omega 3 rich foods, we need to drastically reduce the consumption of omega 6 rich foods such as vegetable oils and processed foods and this is (one of the many) reason(s) why:
A preponderance of omega 6 fatty acids in the body inhibits the absorption of omega 3 fatty acids!
This metabolic fact was only discovered around the 1980s.
The consumption of saturated fats, on the other hand, does not compete for absorption with omega 3s.
- So here is the bottom line:
Avoid consumption of omega 6 rich vegetable oils.
Cooking with olive oil is to be preferred. Even a bit of butter seems healthier than vegetable oils.
Avoid consumption of processed foods.
Eat omega 3 rich fish ( salmon, tuna, sardines, herring) a couple of times a week. Be careful however with fish oil supplements that could have dangerous concentrations of mercury, PCBs and other toxins.
Cut down on saturated fats but do eat organic eggs from free roaming chickens.
Eat omega 3 rich seeds, nuts and vegetables. ( flax seeds, chia seeds, walnuts, soy beans, seaweed.) Note however that the body needs to convert the ALA in those foods into DHA and EPA, which it does not do as efficiently as when it absorbs omega 3 from fish sources.
Do not pay attention to pronouncements sponsored by the meat, dairy, vegetable oil and processed foods industries.
August 24, 2018
This was a much more technical book than I was expecting but still very fascinating. Allport makes a strong argument and provides a compelling narrative to support the argument that the ratio of omega 6 to omega 3 fats in our diet is completely out of whack with our evolutionary needs.
I don’t agree with her assessment that saturated fats need to be controlled but I can’t find fault with her breakdown of how fats operate and how many of our health challenges are caused by this imbalance. This has added significantly to my understanding of a complex topic.
I don’t agree with her assessment that saturated fats need to be controlled but I can’t find fault with her breakdown of how fats operate and how many of our health challenges are caused by this imbalance. This has added significantly to my understanding of a complex topic.
December 1, 2016
Regarding fat, what you eat matters. Food is a determinant of health. Susan Allport superbly writes about omega 3 fatty acids and in so doing she empowers the reader to make food choices that favor good health. This book can save lives.
October 10, 2022
4.4 rating.
Possibly one of the most important books I have ever read.
You can take it or leave it, but I advise every living person, particularly those in the western world read this book.
I am interested in health and longevity, and have learned a lot about nutrition and exercise over the years, yet i found there was a lot of confusion about nutrition.
Did humans evolve to eat a paleolithic diet, possibly a carniverous diet, or maybe a whole food plant based diet, or maybe we should fast, or intermittently fast.Maybe we should try the Keto diet? Are whole grains the thing, or should we only take these in a minimum. Is saturated fat good for you? what about polyunsaturated fat or monounsaturated fat? which fats are omega 3 or omega 6 or even omega 9? How much of these fats should I eat? What foods should be labelled DANGEROUS? Which food producers should we trust? Which food regulatory bodies can be trusted? What are the real superfoods?
Oh what to do?
Well, I have read this book, which has utterly convinced me on the importance of the correct balance of omega 3 and omega 6, and how to best eat in a western society, and how to balance out the foods that I eat so that down the line I am at reduced risk of suffering from heart attack, diabetes, depression, stroke, multiple sclerosis, dementia, angina, parkinsons.
This book has elevated my already pretty reasonable lifestyle (diet and exercise and sleep) to another level... Not only that, but I am utterly CONVINCED.
Thank you for writing this book, not only has it opened up avenues for further investigation particularly regarding fats, but it has turned my focus away from meats and dairy and grain and vegetables and pulses, more towards what fats these mediums contain.
You have just extended my life by about another 20 years...
The only reason I didn't give it a 5 out of 5 rating is because I would have liked more in depth breakdown on saturated fats, polyunsaturated fats, monounsaturated fats, and even more information on the balance of them in more foodstuff.
Next stop the human microbiome.
Thank you so much.
Possibly one of the most important books I have ever read.
You can take it or leave it, but I advise every living person, particularly those in the western world read this book.
I am interested in health and longevity, and have learned a lot about nutrition and exercise over the years, yet i found there was a lot of confusion about nutrition.
Did humans evolve to eat a paleolithic diet, possibly a carniverous diet, or maybe a whole food plant based diet, or maybe we should fast, or intermittently fast.Maybe we should try the Keto diet? Are whole grains the thing, or should we only take these in a minimum. Is saturated fat good for you? what about polyunsaturated fat or monounsaturated fat? which fats are omega 3 or omega 6 or even omega 9? How much of these fats should I eat? What foods should be labelled DANGEROUS? Which food producers should we trust? Which food regulatory bodies can be trusted? What are the real superfoods?
Oh what to do?
Well, I have read this book, which has utterly convinced me on the importance of the correct balance of omega 3 and omega 6, and how to best eat in a western society, and how to balance out the foods that I eat so that down the line I am at reduced risk of suffering from heart attack, diabetes, depression, stroke, multiple sclerosis, dementia, angina, parkinsons.
This book has elevated my already pretty reasonable lifestyle (diet and exercise and sleep) to another level... Not only that, but I am utterly CONVINCED.
Thank you for writing this book, not only has it opened up avenues for further investigation particularly regarding fats, but it has turned my focus away from meats and dairy and grain and vegetables and pulses, more towards what fats these mediums contain.
You have just extended my life by about another 20 years...
The only reason I didn't give it a 5 out of 5 rating is because I would have liked more in depth breakdown on saturated fats, polyunsaturated fats, monounsaturated fats, and even more information on the balance of them in more foodstuff.
Next stop the human microbiome.
Thank you so much.
August 27, 2022
I was about to rave over this book because the information is so thorough and spot on until it I came to Chapter 12 tip 8, Cut Down on Saturated Fats. Oh the 2006 in this book is showing its age. Ignore that this book still contains a small bit of outdated fear of saturated fat dogma and it is a fantastic book.
February 15, 2025
Informative book with several research studies that were easy to read about and understand. Much less biased and with more depth than other books from wellness influencers on similar topics like *seed oils*. Easy to read and take away a few practical changes without being prescribed specific and unachievable actions.
June 28, 2019
Excellent summary on omega3 fats. Would provide 5 stars if a longer book. This one is a very quick read. I’ve been studying this subject for a while now. This book is a very good resource but not the only one to read.
March 10, 2024
Kind of nutrition-geeky history about how the omega-3 fats (and omega-6's) were first discovered, how/why they were named, why they are important to our diet, etc. But quite interesting. Lots of end notes.
October 24, 2025
came across this book after reading Michael Pollan's In Defense of Food, i have to say that i don't recommend this 120 page book. Author focuses on history of fats during 1950-60s which seems mostly irrelevant, heavy use of chemical vocabulary which means this is meant for only chemistry majors.
June 9, 2020
Highly scientific, well written book. Makes a very strong case for the balance and lack of Omega 3's in the diet, and was a solid interesting read
August 19, 2022
If you need a reason to put omega-3s back in what you eat, Susan Allport gives you that. Clearly. An absolutely crucial book everyone who eats needs to read.
October 21, 2024
Excellent info but not that easy to read. Could have been made more accessible to a regular reader.
July 6, 2025
History of the discovery and importance of omega 3 fatty acids. Essential read for any nutritional enthusiast.
February 24, 2024
Incredibly informative if you are willing to slog through a bunch of science terms and unpronounceble name of molecules. I understood maybe half of the details but gained a great amount of insight into the general aim of the book, which is to make clear the importance of omega-3 fatty acids and particularly the ratio of them to omega-6. The basic gist is to eat a lot of greens and fish. If you'd like to know why, give it a read.
It gets a 4 for being a bore and relying on a reader having to bring their own interest rather than drawing them in. Michael Pollan piqued my interest enough to get me through it although it really was rough going with the amount I had to stumble through the word eicosapentaenoic. The content itself is valuable enough to save it from a 3.
It gets a 4 for being a bore and relying on a reader having to bring their own interest rather than drawing them in. Michael Pollan piqued my interest enough to get me through it although it really was rough going with the amount I had to stumble through the word eicosapentaenoic. The content itself is valuable enough to save it from a 3.
October 15, 2016
Maybe you haven't heard about Omega-3 fatty acids if you haven't read a food package, health-focused magazine, or Michael Pollan book in a number of years. But despite all this talk about their miraculous properties, I suspect very few people could explain to you why Omega-3s are good for you, or which foods contain them. If you want to learn the facts about Omega-3s, The Queen of Fats is a rich source (heh) of information, explaining the history of their discovery, their chemical properties, and the evidence of their crucial importance in our diet.
Allport's book does the job in this respect (I certainly am still focusing on getting more Omega-3s), but oftentimes the book isn't the easiest to read. I have enough science background to take a lot of what she was saying for granted, but she seems to assume a high level of chemistry background, and I think most lay audiences would get a little lost, despite the glossary in the back. I also wish she had started the book with Chapter 6, which gives a primer on the different types of fats and what we know about them, before diving into the history while using terms and acronyms like unsaturated, DHA, and ALA.
But I'm pleased that Allport devoted a significant amount of the book to debunking the dietary cholesterol and heart disease myth, which has driven people away from good Omega-3 sources like pastured eggs. The nutritional science around dietary fats has been full of overgeneralization and an unfortunate lack of distinction between molecules of different chemical classes; I am hopeful we've got it right now, but it will still take some effort to change consumption patterns.
Allport's book does the job in this respect (I certainly am still focusing on getting more Omega-3s), but oftentimes the book isn't the easiest to read. I have enough science background to take a lot of what she was saying for granted, but she seems to assume a high level of chemistry background, and I think most lay audiences would get a little lost, despite the glossary in the back. I also wish she had started the book with Chapter 6, which gives a primer on the different types of fats and what we know about them, before diving into the history while using terms and acronyms like unsaturated, DHA, and ALA.
But I'm pleased that Allport devoted a significant amount of the book to debunking the dietary cholesterol and heart disease myth, which has driven people away from good Omega-3 sources like pastured eggs. The nutritional science around dietary fats has been full of overgeneralization and an unfortunate lack of distinction between molecules of different chemical classes; I am hopeful we've got it right now, but it will still take some effort to change consumption patterns.
August 13, 2009
This very interesting and well written book helped me understand the biochemistry of omega-3 fatty acids and convinced me to immediately add fish oil to my diet! Much of the reading I had been doing about sustainable agriculture (e.g, Michael Pollan's In Defense of Food and various reports on the merits of grass-fed versus corn-fed livestock) had discussed omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids, but left me wanting to know more.
Now I understand why grass-fed beef contains more omega-3s than does beef from animals raised in feedlots. I understand why cold water fish are high in omega-3s. I was most fascinated by the role omega-3s play in membrane fluidity and (as an ecologist) the differences in omega-3 content in the membranes of animals that live in cold vs. warm environments and those with high vs. low metabolic rates.
The book makes a compelling case for the benefits of a diet high in omega-3s and clearly points out that, unless one is consuming the traditional diet of an Inuit, s/he probably isn't ingesting an optimal balance of omega-3 to omega-6 fatty acids.
It also has a nice history of science element, which I enjoyed. I think this would be a good book to give to undergraduates in biochemistry as a case study of how we know what we know, and as a concrete example of how the details of biochemical pathways are relevant in everyday life.
Now I understand why grass-fed beef contains more omega-3s than does beef from animals raised in feedlots. I understand why cold water fish are high in omega-3s. I was most fascinated by the role omega-3s play in membrane fluidity and (as an ecologist) the differences in omega-3 content in the membranes of animals that live in cold vs. warm environments and those with high vs. low metabolic rates.
The book makes a compelling case for the benefits of a diet high in omega-3s and clearly points out that, unless one is consuming the traditional diet of an Inuit, s/he probably isn't ingesting an optimal balance of omega-3 to omega-6 fatty acids.
It also has a nice history of science element, which I enjoyed. I think this would be a good book to give to undergraduates in biochemistry as a case study of how we know what we know, and as a concrete example of how the details of biochemical pathways are relevant in everyday life.
July 7, 2015
Her premise is that a lack of Omega 3 Fats and the over abundance of Omega 6 is causing major damage to our bodies - including fat storage and slower metabolism.
In contrast to the Vitamin D book, she is an excellent writer and actually makes reading about essential fatty acids interesting.
She brings down a huge amount of supporting evidence. Just massive. Its so clear cut that this is one of the causes of modern day diseases (heart disease, diabetes, metabolic syndrome, overweight) that the current USDA nutrition requirements will be looked back on as a crime against humanity
Among the explanations she states that Omega 3 is found in leaves and omega 6 is found in seeds. Way back when we were hunter gatherers we ate leafy greens (and the animals that ate leafy greens) during seasons of abundance and we stored and ate the seeds during the difficult winter months. Again Omega3=faster metabolism and Omega6=slower metabolism.
Unfortunately, the standard American (almost global) diet is heavy on processed foods and vegetable oils which are mainly based on omega 6 fats and contains almost no omega 3.
I have started making diet changes to incorporate more omega3 (and may supplement with fish oil) if I don't think I can get enough via diet alone.
In contrast to the Vitamin D book, she is an excellent writer and actually makes reading about essential fatty acids interesting.
She brings down a huge amount of supporting evidence. Just massive. Its so clear cut that this is one of the causes of modern day diseases (heart disease, diabetes, metabolic syndrome, overweight) that the current USDA nutrition requirements will be looked back on as a crime against humanity
Among the explanations she states that Omega 3 is found in leaves and omega 6 is found in seeds. Way back when we were hunter gatherers we ate leafy greens (and the animals that ate leafy greens) during seasons of abundance and we stored and ate the seeds during the difficult winter months. Again Omega3=faster metabolism and Omega6=slower metabolism.
Unfortunately, the standard American (almost global) diet is heavy on processed foods and vegetable oils which are mainly based on omega 6 fats and contains almost no omega 3.
I have started making diet changes to incorporate more omega3 (and may supplement with fish oil) if I don't think I can get enough via diet alone.
August 13, 2016
Fascinating science.
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A few hours after finishing . . . I should say a little more: Not just fascinating science, but an important public health message. Allport does a lot in this short book: she explains the fats and how they work in the body -- linoleic acid, alpha linolenic (ALA), arachnidonic, eicopentaenoic (EPA), etc. -- there is plenty of chemistry here and I followed all of it with abiding concentration, despite never having taken a chemistry class. At the same time she traces the trajectory of the discoveries of omega-3 fats since the mid-twentieth century, and looks at the research of international scientists whose surprising findings made the food processors extremely uncomfortable. Published in 2007 by University of California Press, so additional research in the ensuing years has added to what we understand. I try to read every article I come across about omega-3s, and I don't think I've read anything that directly contradicts what Allport set down here (? maybe her hopefulness about interesterification has come to naught?). Also includes a comprehensive glossary and substantive endnotes.
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A few hours after finishing . . . I should say a little more: Not just fascinating science, but an important public health message. Allport does a lot in this short book: she explains the fats and how they work in the body -- linoleic acid, alpha linolenic (ALA), arachnidonic, eicopentaenoic (EPA), etc. -- there is plenty of chemistry here and I followed all of it with abiding concentration, despite never having taken a chemistry class. At the same time she traces the trajectory of the discoveries of omega-3 fats since the mid-twentieth century, and looks at the research of international scientists whose surprising findings made the food processors extremely uncomfortable. Published in 2007 by University of California Press, so additional research in the ensuing years has added to what we understand. I try to read every article I come across about omega-3s, and I don't think I've read anything that directly contradicts what Allport set down here (? maybe her hopefulness about interesterification has come to naught?). Also includes a comprehensive glossary and substantive endnotes.
March 31, 2008
I really enjoyed this book. Be warned that this is a science book, not a food book. While it’s not a necessity, this book is more enjoyable if you have an elementary understanding of organic chemistry and biochemistry.
What was interesting to me were the stories of how the essential fatty acids were first identified and the resistance to incorporating this new knowledge into prevailing health models, the changes in our food supply that have thrown off the omega 6:omega 3 ratio in our diets, and the implications for our long-term health. While the polysaccharides (omegas 3 and 6) are lumped together on our food labels, they are not interchangeable. Just as important as consuming enough omega 3 is not consuming so much omega 6 since excess omega 6 limits the bioavailability of omega 3.
This book highlights that there is still a lot we don’t know in nutritional science and sometimes what we discover goes against the trends in food cultivation and manufacture. Changes in the food supply and our eating habits can have unforeseen health consequences.
What was interesting to me were the stories of how the essential fatty acids were first identified and the resistance to incorporating this new knowledge into prevailing health models, the changes in our food supply that have thrown off the omega 6:omega 3 ratio in our diets, and the implications for our long-term health. While the polysaccharides (omegas 3 and 6) are lumped together on our food labels, they are not interchangeable. Just as important as consuming enough omega 3 is not consuming so much omega 6 since excess omega 6 limits the bioavailability of omega 3.
This book highlights that there is still a lot we don’t know in nutritional science and sometimes what we discover goes against the trends in food cultivation and manufacture. Changes in the food supply and our eating habits can have unforeseen health consequences.
February 23, 2013
A few chapters in this book are absolutely brutal, but otherwise it's not so bad.
Book discusses the different types of fat, omega 3 and 6 and 9 (alpha lenolenic acid, lenoleic acid, and oleic acid, respectively) and their role in the body health. The idea is that the optimal ratio for omega 3 and 6 is about a 1:2.3, but the Western Diet has a far higher proportion of omega 6 to omega 3, which may cause a lot of our heart and health woes. Suggestions are to avoid high omega-6 oils (sunflower, safflower, peanut), incorporate more omega-3 containing foods into our diet (fatty fish, flaxseed, leafy and green vegetables; omega-3 is a key component in chloroplasts), and generally try to re-establish a more optimal 3:1 omega 6:3 balance.
Some of the information may be outdated, and some of the studies are only preliminary.
Also, book does nothing to address modern-day coconut oil fetishism at all, believes that too many saturated fats aren't good, and believes that dietary cholesterol and serum cholesterol are independent of one another.
Book discusses the different types of fat, omega 3 and 6 and 9 (alpha lenolenic acid, lenoleic acid, and oleic acid, respectively) and their role in the body health. The idea is that the optimal ratio for omega 3 and 6 is about a 1:2.3, but the Western Diet has a far higher proportion of omega 6 to omega 3, which may cause a lot of our heart and health woes. Suggestions are to avoid high omega-6 oils (sunflower, safflower, peanut), incorporate more omega-3 containing foods into our diet (fatty fish, flaxseed, leafy and green vegetables; omega-3 is a key component in chloroplasts), and generally try to re-establish a more optimal 3:1 omega 6:3 balance.
Some of the information may be outdated, and some of the studies are only preliminary.
Also, book does nothing to address modern-day coconut oil fetishism at all, believes that too many saturated fats aren't good, and believes that dietary cholesterol and serum cholesterol are independent of one another.
February 21, 2014
I recommend this book to anyone searching for a better understanding about the importance of Omega-3 fats in the role of excellent health, and the why and how of Omega-3 fats being replaced by Omega-6 fats in the Western diet.
Ms. Allport concisely details the essential need for Omega-3 fats for health, and how Omega-3 and Omega-6 fats must be properly balanced for optimal health. She also discusses the other fats (transfats,saturated fats and monounsaturated fats) and their different relationships to human health.
This is one of my favorite nonfiction books. I applied the knowledge I acquired from reading this book and changed my diet to become much healthier and lost weight in the process.
Read this book to make a positive change in your health and life!
Ms. Allport concisely details the essential need for Omega-3 fats for health, and how Omega-3 and Omega-6 fats must be properly balanced for optimal health. She also discusses the other fats (transfats,saturated fats and monounsaturated fats) and their different relationships to human health.
This is one of my favorite nonfiction books. I applied the knowledge I acquired from reading this book and changed my diet to become much healthier and lost weight in the process.
Read this book to make a positive change in your health and life!
March 10, 2016
3.5
This book is a good beginning for those interested in the history of fat and nutrition science. The book itself is a rather easy read and does a good job explaining more technical scientific work in an accessible manner. It doesn't go quite far enough, however, to explore the role of US farm policy and its connections to the processed food industry and agribusiness as a major reason for the disappearance of Omega-3 fats. I think this topic could easily have been another chapter of the book and would have gone deeper into the system that supports the consumption of n-6 fatty acids rather than n-3 fatty acids.
This book is a good beginning for those interested in the history of fat and nutrition science. The book itself is a rather easy read and does a good job explaining more technical scientific work in an accessible manner. It doesn't go quite far enough, however, to explore the role of US farm policy and its connections to the processed food industry and agribusiness as a major reason for the disappearance of Omega-3 fats. I think this topic could easily have been another chapter of the book and would have gone deeper into the system that supports the consumption of n-6 fatty acids rather than n-3 fatty acids.
August 22, 2008
Somewhat scientific, and after reading it, I feel I finally understand the omega-3 and omega-6 issue. It has changed my habits and strengthened my ideas about what to eat and what to avoid. Good: greens; fish; grassfed or pastured meat, dairy, poultry, and eggs; flax; fresh walnuts; fish oil. Not good: conventional (corn-fed) meat and dairy; high omega-6 oils like safflower, sunflower, cottonseed, corn oils. These high omega-6 oils are in everything processed, so I end of avoiding most prepared/snack food in the supermarket.
October 4, 2012
Definitely not a beach read, as it's pretty heavy on the scientific tech-speak; however it is very enlightening. It discusses how omega-3s were "discovered", what their roles are in human nutrition (as well as some animal nutrition), as well as how they interact with one another. There is a small section near the end that gives some broad advice as to increasing omega-3s in the diet, though the author states outright that this was not meant to be a diet book, so no specific guidelines are provided.
August 4, 2015
A good book to familiarize the average consumer with the omega 3 crisis in the Western diet. Brimming with science and packed with questions calling for more research, this book isn't necessarily easy to tackle; however, it does explain the role of fat in our diets, what the research seems to indicate (omega 6-3 imbalance leads to many modern diseases and conditions), and gives a brief guideline for increasing omega 3 consumption that is fairly close to Pollan's advice of "Eat food. Not a lot. Mainly plants."
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